Duplex apparatus for skipping and jumping rope



Jan. 8, 1963 E. E. M coMBs 3,072,402

DUPLEX APPARATUS FOR SKIPPING AND JUMPING ROPE Filed Oct. 11, 1961 BY/QMAM United States Patent O i 3,072,402 DUPLEX APPARATUS FOR SKIPPING AND JUMPING ROPE Edward E. McCombs, 707 26 /2 Ave.,

Rock Island, Ill. 7 Filed Oct. 11, 196i, Ser. No. 147,399 3 Claims. (Cl. 272-74) My invention is a duplex apparatus for valuable exercise and amusement for children, and teen age and older people who can be benefited by exercise that alerts and strengthens both physical and mental states.

It is adapted for use by a single person in skipping or jumping rope, who holds a central crossbar in both hands and rotates it to swing the side frames in a vertical circle alternately passing transverse end ropes over his head and under his feet, and simultaneously skipping or jumping over each transverse rope as it passes under his feet, or it may be held and rotated by one person and jumped simultaneously by two persons facing each other, and even transferred from the hands of'one to the other person without stopping its revolution.

It comprises in general a pair of spaced side colums or tubular frames adjustable in length from 4 to 6 feet, of light, strong, somewhat springy plastic polyethylene for the side frames and shaft and that or polystyrene for the joint, with a transverse cord or rope of plastic or an equivalent attached severally to the corresponding ends of the side frames.

It has proven very attractive to both young and old people who have used it or seen it used for testing and it will doubtless be in great demand as soon as it can be placed on the market.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevation with frames in vertical position and at full length;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation;

FIGURE 3 is a secional view of part of one side frame on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2, and one form of clip to lock the mid-section and an end section in adjusted position;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged sectional detail of one of the joints between the drive shaft and a side frame;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged detail of an alternate form of means for locking frame members at adjusted lengths on the line 5-5 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged sectional detail of a joint between the drive shaft and a middle section of a side frame.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

My apparatus comprises a pair of tubular side frame members each of which has a tubular middle section 1-2 approximately 36 inches in length, with closely fitting inner sections 3-4 adjustably secured in each end thereof. The middle tubular sections are spaced about 28 to 30 inches apart and removably rigidly united to a transverse drive shaft 5.

The ends of the drive shaft are slitted as at 5A and are slightly tapered to be fitted and held rigidly by a press fit in sleeves of joint members 6-6 which fit snugly upon the middle sections 1 and 2 of the side frames.

Each joint 6 includes a cradle 6A with a projecting lug 7 adapted to enter an opening 8 in the surface of the middle sections 1 or 2 and prevent relative movement thereof. The middle sections are also held against moving out of the joints by being seated in the cradle 6A of the joint and held by the side frames and the tension of transverse ropes 19-19 upon the ends of the side frames and the resilience of the side frames and may be removably locked in the cradle by screws 9.

3,072,402 Patented Jan. 8, 1963 To secure light weight, the side frame members 1, 2, 3 and 4, and the shaft 5 are preferably composed of light tubes of polyethylene plastic or its equivalent, which is somewhat resilient or springy so that the ends of the side frames may be held two or three inches closer together thereby exerting sufiicient pressure upon the shaft 5 to aid in securing it rigidly thereto and will apply tension to the transverse ropes or cords.

The tubular shaft 5 may be round or rectangular in section and about 4" to 1" in diameter. The dimensions of all the parts may be varied to meet the requirements of various cases as they arise and equivalents may be substituted as circumstances permit.

The end members 3 and 4 will preferably be in the form of tubes and of a size to fit snugly in the middle members 1 and 2, but will permit manual movement lengthwise for adjustment. To secure them in adjusted position the ends of the mid members 1 and 2 may have slits 10-10 cut therein and a circular band clamp 11 mounted thereon with projecting fingers 12 in which a As an alternate species of look, a ring or band of plastic or polystyrene or equivalent 15 may be mounted on the mid members 1 or 2 with a spring bar 16 integral.

therewith having a finger 17 at one end adapted to enter any one of a series of holes 18-18 formed in the rod or bar 3 or 4 and thus lock it in fixed position.

The transverse cords or ropes 19 preferably of polystyrene will be held in bores 20-20 in the outer ends of the tubes 3 or 4 and may be secured by knots 21-21 formed thereon or equivalent means, and will be kept under sufficient tension to hold them nearly straight but may allow a little bulging from centrifugal force if desired.

Applicants appliance has many advantages over forms of rope-jumping apparatus heretofore in use. The parts can be easily disconnected and assembled and wrapped in a small package only about three feet long and a few inches in thickness.

It can be easily adjusted in length for all ages from young children to the fully grown.

It can be used by single persons or used by two people facing each other and the shaft may be passed from one to the other without stopping its motion and either may step out laterally with a quick step.

It is equally usable for pleasure, for entertainment of an audience, as on a stage, or to provide a valuable form of exercise for those needing it.

It is entirely free from-any attachment to the body of the user such as a belt that would move it up or down as the bodyof the user moved in jumping or skipping.

It would be free from the lateral tilting or distortions which the use of cranks to rotate the shaft would cause.

It would afford many interesting games or contests such as to how long a user could keep it going or as to how many from one group could use it in succession Without stopping, etc. 7 I

It can be manufactured and marketed at low cost so as to find a ready market as the tubes of plastic are already on the market at a very low price per foot.

Various changes and equivalents may be substituted in the size, shape, and materials of different parts without departing from the spirit of my invention as expressed in the claims and I do not limit myclaims to the precise details shown in the drawings.

I claim:

1. A duplex appliance for practicing rope jumping comprising a pair of spaced side members of plural polyethylene tubing each side member having an intermediate outer tube and adjustably seated in opposite ends thereof inner tubes of similar material, a transverse tubular polyethylene drive shaft having its ends united to the intermediate tubes at the middle thereof, and parallel transverse cords of polystyrene mounted respectively at extending outer ends of the inner tubes.

2. A machine for use in rope jumping or skipping comprising a pair of spaced side members of plural polyethylene tubing each side member having an intermediate outer tube and adjustably seated in opposite ends thereof inner tubes of similar material, a transverse tubular polyethylene drive shaft having its ends united to the intermediate tubes at the middle thereof, and parallel transverse cords of firm, slightly flexible material mounted respectively at extending outer ends of the inner tubes.

3. In a machine for use in rope jumping, a pair of spaced tubular side bars held about 30 to 36 inches apart at the middle by a drive shaft firmly united to the middle part thereof at a right angle thereto with the outer ends References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 104,674 Whitehead June 21, 1870 169,625 Crandall Nov. 9, 1875 2,253,075 Johnson Aug. 19, 1941 2,303,309 McArthur Nov. 24, 1942 2,493,224 Brunt et al Jan. 3, 1950 2,723,855 McKee Nov. 15, 19 5 2,846,249 Johnson Aug. 5, 1958 

1. A DUPLEX APPLIANCE FOR PRACTICING ROPE JUMPING COMPRISING A PAIR OF SPACED SIDE MEMBERS OF PLURAL POLYETHYLENE TUBING EACH SIDE MEMBER HAVING AN INTERMEDIATE OUTER TUBE AND ADJUSTABLY SEATED IN OPPOSITE ENDS THEREOF INNER TUBES OF SIMILAR MATERIL, A TRANSVERSE TUBULAR POLYETHYLENE DRIVE SHAFT HAVING ITS ENDS UNITED TO THE INTERMEDIATE TUBES AT THE MIDDLE THEREOF, AND PARALLEL TRANS- 